# Corn Cob Experiment



## dgerwin11 (Jun 19, 2011)

I am one of the world's biggest fans of MM CC's. I often ask myself while smoking a cob why I ever "wasted'' money on my briars (then I smoke a Sav and the answer is obvious). But I have 2 related issues with them. First, I truly believe that the inventor of paper filters was related to the evil SOB who invented AstroTurf. I throw the filters out after the first couple of bowls. Second, I don't really like the wide open draw that results from the first remedy. True, MM does make an unfiltered Patriot that smokes very well, but I don't like the shape or extremely thin walls of the bowl.

While shopping the web for a new unfiltered Savinelli, I noticed that you can buy converter tubes for their filtered pipes. Since the converters are 6mm, the same size as Dr Grabow filters, I figured "What the heck, they are only $2".
so I added a couple to my order.

Today was my first day with one in my cob. They are slightly thicker than a paper filter and require some elbow grease to insert into the stem. As a matter of fact, I only put it in about 1/8''. That was enough to secure it. Since they are only about 1/2 the length of a filter, there was plenty of room in the shank to insert the stem completely. It worked like a charm. The dynamics of smoking changed due to the normal draw. The eye saw cob and the brain went into auto pilot and tried to smoke it like it had the open draw. The mouth said "Brain, wake up and adjust." After it adjusted we all got along.

An added bonus is that it passed a pipe cleaner stem to bowl easily.

BTW, this works for the one Dr Grabow I still have.


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## CaptainEnormous (Sep 30, 2010)

As a guy who has restored lots of old briar, I'll say that since about 1920 people have been trying to "build a better mousetrap" when it comes to filters, stingers, tubes, etc. The experiment continues today (lots of German pipes come with room for a 9mm filter, Italian and some British use 6mm filters). Don't know how you measure success with that kind of venture. But it seems to me that none of the inner gizmos have improved things.

I tend to look to the high grade guys when it comes to inner mechanics. Not sure I've ever seen a Joura, Ivarsson, or J Allen that left room for a filter. 

That doesn't directly address the OP, who was talking about using a Sav conversion tube to fill the void left in a Cob made for a 6mm filter (which is great idea, btw). And he notes a cob made without room for a filter, which is news to me. 

But I figured it's be fun to post with some thoughts on stuff-in-the-way-of-the-draft-hole and see who else might post. . .



Edit. . .A really neat "Corn Cob Experiment" might be to make a briar with a cob shank (people use super-absorbent bamboo, why not cob?). . .if anyone out there make cob pipes and wants to team up, send me a PM!


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## BrewShooter (Mar 17, 2011)

I had this same idea a while back for my cobs and Grabows, but had trouble making the insert fit in some of the MM pipes. So, I just stuck with the filters. Maybe I'll try it again.


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## dgerwin11 (Jun 19, 2011)

As I said, I was only able to get them in 1/8'', but it was enough. They fit very snug and solid. You could use some very fine sandpaper or an emery board to whittle them down just a tad.


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## Stonedog (Mar 9, 2011)

I've been using a 1" piece of pipe cleaner doubled over and inserted into the stem. It tightens up the draw and does block chunks of tobacco that might otherwise be inhaled. It's a hassle though and I replace them after each smoke so it just adds an extra step... You experiment is interesting and cheaper than a Forever Stem!

Does the adapter leave open space behind it? I wonder if that would be a point where moisture collects?


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## WyoBob (Mar 6, 2007)

dgerwin11 said:


> As I said, I was only able to get them in 1/8'', but it was enough. They fit very snug and solid. You could use some very fine sandpaper or an emery board to whittle them down just a tad.


You could chuck the adapter in a drill and, using sandpaper, turn the diameter down to suit.


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## dgerwin11 (Jun 19, 2011)

Yes it leaves a space. But I smoked several bowls today and did not have a moisture problem. I was smoking a Diplomat with stock Danish stem. But I also usually run a pipe cleaner thrust abot1/2 way thrust each smoke. That is why ease of pipe cleaner passage is important to me.


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## dgerwin11 (Jun 19, 2011)

WyoBob said:


> You could chuck the adapter in a drill and, using sandpaper, turn the diameter down to suit.


But very gently.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

I just use the Forever Stem. A bit pricey, I guess, but it's been well worth it. (A single round of golf costs more than that most places, so what the hell, right?)


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## dgerwin11 (Jun 19, 2011)

In retrospect, that is what I should have done. But I was too busy reinventing the wheel. Seeing as how I usual keep 6 cobs in my rotation, that would equate to about $4/pipe. If I am still puffing when my supply of replacement stems give out, I may just do this. Or sooner if this experiment fizzles. Or if I just want to try something new.


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## WyoBob (Mar 6, 2007)

I have a Forever nose warmer stem and I like it. Very comfortable mouth piece. If I amortize it over the 10 cobs that it should fit, that would be $2.50/pipe. But, the nose warmer won't fit all my cobs. Too tight of a fit on a few of them. I finally decided to just leave it on one Diplomat. (When my wrist heals up enough so I can twist again, I might switch it around a bit).

I have yet to replace any of my MM "Danish" bits which I use on my Legend, many Diplomats and Prides. (I do use heat shrink on all of them.) 

I really like the fact that I can grab any Danish stem and fit it to just about any bowl. There's a couple of instances where the fit is a bit loose so I just grab another stem that fits. I've got a handful of new bits on hand (at 25 cents each, not hard to do) but haven't had to use any yet and my cobs "have a lot of miles" on them.


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## B.L. Sims (Jan 14, 2010)

Hmm, ill have to try that with my Sav filter insert.

Ive thought about making my own balsa filters by getting a dowel from a craft store and chopping it down into filter sized pieces and either going the triangle route like Sav or boring a hole through them.

Then again I never really use filters anyways. I did for the first time on my Sav after owning it for 6 months or so and didnt see any appeal.

Its still fun to tinker though.


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